Shops

The main character in our story is Jason McPike. He is the son of an Army Veteran (Korean and Viet Nam Wars) that met, fell in love with and married a beautiful young German lady while he was stationed overseas in her country during the early 1960’s. Jason was born in Heidelberg, Germany in 1963 and has followed a slightly different path than most ever since.

He fell in love with this Hudson truck many years ago when he saw it behind a machine shop in Humble, Texas, hiding in the overgrown grass. He asked the owner what it was and was told it was a 1947 Hudson truck. He didn’t know what it was but knew he had to have it because it was different.

Once procured, Jason began the task of making it “his” Hudson. Soon after beginning the build on the first iteration of this truck, it became obvious he needed another one of these “Hen’s teeth” to contribute some much-needed parts.

After extensive research, Jason, now residing in Spring, Texas, finally found another prospective truck all the way in Brigham City, Utah. Fearing he’d never be able to get the second truck, Jason’s father and mother surprised him by bringing it home to him after a Hot Shot run his father had to make to that part of the country. Thanks to his parent’s selfless delivery, Jason now had the truck he needed to complete his goal of a totally unique and different ride.

As Jason delved deeper into making a usable project out of all the parts, he came to the conclusion that he had better have a professional shop help him finish what he had started. He was surprised to find that many shops either weren’t nearly as “Professional” as they proclaimed or that they seemed intimidated by the unique nature of a Hudson truck.

After much effort, he was able to finish the first version of this unique vehicle. It was burgundy and white, two-toned, and he drove it everywhere he could. The truck was well received at any show he attended and many awards were won. The bigger achievement was that he had finally gotten his Hudson on the road. It only seemed appropriate that one of the most common things he would hear was, “That thing sure is different!”

As time went on, he began to get the itch to improve upon the Hudson. Some things in the initial build were deteriorating and he never felt that he had really achieved his goal the first time. And so, the process began again.

Jason began hunting for a shop to do the work - properly this time - all the while wondering how to not repeat the first build in design…or result. He had accepted the fact that ‘cubic dollars’ were about to be spent and that he would not get to enjoy his dream ride for quite a long time while the re-build took place. Most of all, he did not want to lose the Hudson lineage and identity of his truck.

Despite trials, tribulations and a couple automotive horror stories, the truck ended up in a local Cypress, Texas based shop known as PAINTHOUSE. It was there that the current iteration of Jason’s Hudson was finally able to take form.

Over the course of the next 2+ years, the Crew at PAINTHOUSE was able to take what Jason had brought them, mix in an eclectic dose of nostalgic and current ideas and brew up what you see now. A list of the modifications includes but is certainly not limited to the following:

The concepts that Jason and PAINTHOUSE came up with were rendered flawlessly by none other than Eric Brockmeyer himself. Once the vision was established, PAINTHOUSE took it to heart and made sure that over the next two years Jason got exactly what he wanted, and more, in the re-creation of his 1947 Hudson truck.

The PPG basecoat/clearcoat colors were created by PAINTHOUSE as a retrospective, albeit eclectic, nod to the vintage tones that were on vehicles of that era. The “Green Acres Pearl” and “Bad Bad Leroy Brown” two-tone is also appropriately a respectful tribute to his father’s Army heritage. The wheels, an Artillery design in 17” & 18” sizes, fall right into the theme that had taken root. Even the steering wheel was created exclusively for this Hudson, being a modernized duplication of a 1937 Hudson passenger car wheel. In more areas than can be expressed, Jason was not afraid to be different in the build of his Hudson.

Jason can’t help but think of his parents when he sees his newly finished 1947 Hudson truck. It is intended to subtly remind you of yesterday…and today. Hopefully, you will agree that the Hudson’s timeless heritage is tastefully wrapped around a reliable, and fun, blend of today’s best technology.

Being different isn’t easy - unless you are Jason McPike, that is. The fact that he built this truck not only once, but twice, should be proof enough that it pays off in the end when you “dare to be different”.